Rockets winning title would be tough for Dwight Howard, but he still has high praise

Rockets winning title would be tough for Dwight Howard, but he still has high praise

Dwight Howard’s three-year tenure with the Houston Rockets simply didn’t pan out as either side had hoped. There’s no denying that, but it seems like there are no hard feelings from the veteran center, who’s coming off a solid season with the Charlotte Hornets.

Howard joined the crew on ESPN’s show Get Up! Tuesday and spoke about the Rockets and their impressive season. He had nothing but praise for the entire roster but did admit that he’s not sure he can watch his former team win a championship.

First, though, Howard was asked by ESPN about his thoughts on the potential Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors Western Conference Finals matchup.

“He (James Harden) played them in the Western Conference Finals a couple years ago and I think that lit a fire under James. You know he was very upset at how that season ended and he came back the next season, the year after that, and he’s gotten better every single year. And I think because of him alone, you know they have a chance. Then you add a guy like Chris Paul and you’ve got Trevor Ariza, they’ve got a great bench now, they’ve got really good wing defenders.” Howard stated.

“For James and his crew, this is their moment. I don’t know if I can watch them win a championship, but this is their moment. They’ve been playing great all year.” he continued.

Howard went on to state that he believes if the Rockets “play 48 minutes, every night,” that they can knock off the Warriors to reach the NBA Finals.

The former No. 1 overall pick spent three seasons in Houston, from the 2013-14 season through 2015-16. His best year with the team was his first, as he averaged 18.3 points with 12.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. His scoring declined in each season from that point on, though.

The Rockets did have success when Howard was in town but were unable to get over the hump, making the Western Conference Finals once (2014-15) and being eliminated in the first round the two other seasons.

Now, it seems as though Howard is past any of the drama that came along with his tenure in Houston, and he’s more than willing to give praise where it’s deserved.

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